ArmInfo. Armenia and the European Union do not have time limits in the process of full completion by the EU member states of the ratification of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This was announced on November 26 in Yerevan at a press conference on the anniversary of the signing of the agreement to the question of ArmInfo, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Avet Adonts.
Armenia and the European Union do not have time limits in the process of full completion by the EU member states of the ratification of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
According to him, Yerevan expected a faster process of ratification of this document, but in reality everything turned out differently. "But, I would like to note that there is not a single EU member state where this process has not been launched. So, as you know, 16 countries have already ratified the document, another 5 - the document is at the final stage, and in the rest - at different stages according to the specifics of the legislation of these states. I would also like to recall that 80% of the document is being implemented, and this is being done in targeted, specific areas. We expected a faster process, but now next year, "said the deputy minister.
Adonts also emphasized that on December 16 in Brussels at a meeting of the Armenia-EU partnership, the first assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation of CEPA will be given.
Speaking generally about CEPA, he recalled that the document signed two years ago became the so-called constitution in relations between Armenia and the European Union. According to him, this document is a kind of tool for implementing the reform agenda in Armenia. The deputy minister assured that the effective implementation of CEPA is important for Armenia, and the government has already committed to implement it. Adonts also noted that the above document reflects a clause relating exclusively to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including through the implementation of the Helsinki Final Act and fundamental principles, including the right of peoples to self-determination. In conclusion, he emphasized that Armenia is purposefully working towards the beginning of a dialogue on visa liberalization within the framework of the CEPA, while expressing gratitude to European structures for the positive assessment given by the Republic of Armenia in the context of the implementation of visa liberalization and readmission agreements. It should be noted that the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed in Brussels on November 24, 2017. The agreement has already been ratified by the Armenian parliament, as well as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the UK, Romania, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Malta, Croatia and Cyprus.